_#_Climate: tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds
_#_Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
_#_Natural resources: manganese, hardwood forests, fish
_#_Land use: arable land 1%; permanent crops 5%; meadows and pastures
2%; forest and woodland 1%; other 91%
_#_Environment: subject to tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to
April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes
_#_Note: located 5,750 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific
Ocean about three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and Australia
_*_People
_#_Population: 170,319 (July 1991), growth rate 3.1% (1991)
_#_Birth rate: 36 births/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
_#_Infant mortality rate: 36 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
_#_Life expectancy at birth: 67 years male, 72 years female (1991)
_#_Total fertility rate: 5.4 children born/woman (1991)
_#_Nationality: noun--Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural);
adjective--Ni-Vanuatu
_#_Ethnic divisions: indigenous Melanesian 94%, French 4%, remainder
Vietnamese, Chinese, and various Pacific Islanders
_#_Religion: Presbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Catholic 15%,
indigenous beliefs 7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of Christ
3.8%, other 15.7%
_#_Language: English and French (official); pidgin (known as Bislama
or Bichelama)
_#_Literacy: 53% (male 57%, female 48%) age 15 and over can
read and write (1979)
_#_Labor force: NA
_#_Organized labor: 7 registered trade unions--largest include Oil
and Gas Workers' Union, Vanuatu Airline Workers' Union
_*_Government
_#_Long-form name: Republic of Vanuatu
_#_Type: republic
_#_Capital: Port-Vila
_#_Administrative divisions: 11 island councils; Ambrym, Aoba/Maewo,
Banks/Torres, Efate, Epi, Malakula, Paama, Pentecote, Santo/Malo,
Shepherd, Tafea
_#_Independence: 30 July 1980 (from France and UK; formerly New
Hebrides)
_#_Constitution: 30 July 1980
_#_Legal system: unified system being created from former dual French
and British systems
_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 30 July (1980)
_#_Executive branch: president, prime minister, Council of Ministers
(cabinet)
_#_Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament; note--the National
Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom and land
_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State--President Frederick TIMAKATA (since 30 January
1989);
Head of Government--Prime Minister Father Walter Hadye LINI (since
30 July 1980); Deputy Prime Minister (vacant)
_#_Political parties and leaders:
National Party (Vanua'aku Pati), Donald KALPOKAS;
Union of Moderate Parties, Maxine CARLOT;
Melanesian Progressive Party, Barak SOPE
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18
_#_Elections:
Parliament--last held 30 November 1987 (next to be held
by November 1991); byelections were held in December 1988 to fill
vacancies resulting from the expulsion of opposition members for
boycotting sessions; results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(46 total)
National Party 26, Union of Moderate Parties 19, independent 1
_#_Member of: ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, NAM, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNIDO,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Vanuatu does not have a mission in
Washington;